Yes, they lay their eggs in plant tissues.

http://www.firstrays.com/thrips.htm

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Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

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"K Barrett" wrote in message
news:bVSQb.116299$5V2.588192@attbi_s53...
Some time ago Diana asked about hard bumps she found on her catts.

I finally found an example of the hard bumps I get on mine.

http://www.orchidtrek.com/thrip.scalea.JPG

http://www.orchidtrek.com/thrip.scaleb.JPG

These "look" like scale or mealies, but they are not. In the picture it
almost looks like you can see antennae, but they aren't.

These do not mash. They are hard like a wart, dug in like a blister in the
flesh of the lip.

Ever seen anything like this before??

After looking at the AOS mag I have come to believe there are thrips in my
collection, and that will bring me to my second question in a second.

But first, do thrips live/breed inside plant tissue?

I'm going to spray with OrtheneWP. In order to get this under control,
since today is a sunny day I'll water first then then apply the systemic.
Its winter and its cold in the GH (70 high, 59-60 low). I'm going to turn
up the heat so the collection is dry by nightfall. I've been keeping the
plants dry, because I don't want them to rot in the winter cold, however I
think I've been keeping them *too* dry and now disease has started in the
debilitated plants.

My second question is, *should* I water 1st then use the systemic? I'm
going to anyway, because I think it'll be a shock to the roots to be hit
with water AND chemicals at the same time, from a TDS standpoint, not from
a
chemical standpoint. Granted this may decrease the uptake of the
systemic,
but I just don't want to hit their dry roots with too much. I'm just
asking
for next time. Since I'll have to do this again next week.

K Barrett